Andrew Stegmann
,

African Development Bank Starts Electricity Cooperative Feasibility Studies in Nigeria and Ethiopia

The African Development Bank has kicked off a feasibility study to explore the potential of electricity cooperative business models in Nigeria and Ethiopia.

The effort is part of the Bank’s goal of achieving universal electricity access across Africa by 2025. Currently, power shortages diminish the region’s GDP growth by 2-4% per year, holding back job creation and poverty reduction efforts.

The study, funded by the South-South Cooperation Trust Fund, will be conducted by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) International over three months. NRECA will consider regulatory, legal, technical and socio-economic factors that impact the creation of electric cooperatives in the two nations.

Electricity cooperatives are tax-exempt businesses set up and owned by the consumers who benefit from the services provided in generation, transmission and/or distribution.

They are used in many parts of the world to provide last mile connections to rural areas through grid extensions and cooperative enterprises. Where successful, they also improve rural electrification, while creating sustainable businesses.

Speaking at the kick-off meeting, Batchi Baldeh, the Bank’s Director of Power Systems Development, thanked the South-South Cooperation Trust Fund for financing the initiative. “This study is timely and aligned with the Bank’s New Deal for Energy in Africa. We look forward to working with NRECA International to execute the study, and to leverage its extensive experience in electricity cooperative business models to pave the way for the implementation of transformational projects across Africa” he said.

Underscoring the importance of Government cooperation and commitment, he added that the cooperatives rely on strong partnerships among governments, rural/local communities and development partners for implementation and success.

“We selected Nigeria and Ethiopia following dialogue with their respective ministers of energy during the Bank’s Africa Energy Market Place held in July 2018, where they expressed their governments’ commitment to improve rural access through established models. We rely on this cooperation to explore this innovative model of delivering our High 5 to light up and power Africa”, said Baldeh

Findings of the study will be delivered in May this year. They will inform the viability of plans to pilot the model in the selected countries.

For more information about the African Development Bank Group, click here.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email marketing@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: VOA [1], [2].

Andrew Stegmann

Load Shedding (Power Outages) in South Africa Explained

Written by Quintin Coetzee

Load Shedding Explained

Currently, South Africa has one major electricity provider – Eskom. Due to financial and maintenance constraints, Eskom has periods where it needs to shut off power delivery to areas, on rotation, during periods of maintenance, in order to prevent a full-scale blackout.

In a blackout, almost the entire country’s electricity would go out, and may take days to come back up again. It goes without saying that everything must be done to prevent this from happening, as the consequences would be dire. Hence the process of load shedding.

Various areas simultaneously have their power disconnected for a period of a few hours during periods of load shedding. When one group comes back online, another goes down, while Eskom manages delivery and performs necessary maintenance.

Load shedding does not occur every day in South Africa. Residents follow local news, apps, and city websites, in order to see if and when shedding will occur. The South African government says that it is developing long-term solutions to make load shedding a thing of the past, but until these become a reality, load shedding will be an unfortunate part of life for South Africans. This does not mean that people have to sit idly by while it happens, however. We have provided some information and tips below to help during periods of load shedding.

Load Shedding Stages

Load shedding may take place under a number of different stages, depending on the degree to which Eskom is short on power. The higher the stage, the more areas need to have their power turned off simultaneously. When load shedding is announced, the stage that applies is announced at the same time, and corresponding schedules need to be checked.

  • Stage 1: Requires load-shedding of up to 1,000 MW. Power outage periods (per neighborhood) last up to 2.5 hours.
  • Stage 2: Requires load-shedding of up to 2,000 MW. Power outage periods (per neighborhood) last up to 2.5 hours.
  • Stage 3: Requires load-shedding of up to 3,000 MW. Power outage periods (per neighborhood) last up to 2.5 hours.
  • Stage 4: Requires load-shedding of up to 4,000 MW. Power outage periods (per neighborhood) last up to 2.5 hours.
  • Stage 5: Requires load-shedding of up to 5,000 MW. Power outage periods (per neighborhood) last up to 4.5 hours.
  • Stage 6: Requires load-shedding of up to 6,000 MW. Power outage periods (per neighborhood) last up to 4.5 hours.
  • Stage 7: Requires load-shedding of up to 7,000 MW. Power outage periods (per neighborhood) last up to 4.5 hours.
  • Stage 8: Requires load-shedding of up to 8,000 MW. Power outage periods (per neighborhood) last up to 4.5 hours.

More information about the various stages can be found on the Eskom website here.

Area Schedules

It is a good idea to bookmark or print your schedule, so that you can check it easily. It is quite likely that your work is in a different load shedding area to your home, so it is advisable to check the schedules for both.

A popular app (for Android and iOS devices) that will notify you when it is your time for load shedding can be found here.

Eskom schedules can be found on the Eskom website here.

City schedules can be found on the websites of local municipalities:

Due to the Steenbras dam’s hydro-power system that feeds into the local grid, the City of Cape Town often manages to avoid Stage 1 load shedding.

Action Plan

There are some important things to consider if you may be caught up in load shedding. We have outlined a few below.

  1. Keep flashlights, candles, and lighters in close reach to provide light when the power goes out. There are also battery-powered emergency lights available online, some of which charge during normal power delivery, and turn on automatically when load shedding begins.
  2. Small supplies of battery power can be bought on the cheap these days. Examples are power banks to keep phones, routers, and laptops running. These can be bought easily from stores like Takealot and Loot.
  3. Make sure your food and medication can stay cool in your fridge for a few hours during power outages.
  4. Ensure you have sufficient gas in your car, as many stations are unable to pump during load shedding.
  5. Ensure you have sufficient cash, as many card machines do not function during load shedding.
  6. Consider methods of contact, as not all cellular towers have backup generators, and you may therefore not be able to make cell phone calls during load shedding.
  7. Make sure that all electrical outlets have surge protectors. Power surges when electricity returns are rare, but if they do occur, they can severely damage items plugged into affected outlets. Considering the cost of surge protectors as compared to the value of items, such as TVs and computers, plugged into outlets, they are worth buying.
  8. Plan your meals (a gas stove may help), showers (geysers should stay warm during single outage periods), and other daily activities around the load shedding schedule. Even if there is no planned shedding, it is advisable to get into a pattern around the schedule, as load shedding can begin at any time. It is a good idea to check the schedule for your city at the start of each day.
  9. Check the batteries attached to any essential parts of your home and business, to be sure they are in working order as a backup if the power goes out. These items include gate and garage motors and alarm systems.
  10. Consider investing in an inverter and battery backup system to keep preferred items on during outages. These range quite widely in price, depending on the desired amount of electricity generated, and can be bought from numerous online stores, as well as brick and mortar stores such as Makro and Game, or from specialized installation companies. A cheaper UPS may be able to keep your fiber CPE box (or 3G dongle) and router running during outages. Costs involved for getting completely off the grid (for example by using a solar power system) may be high, but doing so provides a comprehensive, long-term solution.

Businesses

It is important to note that, unlike Relocation Africa, which has a solar power system you can read more about here, many businesses in South Africa do not have backup power provision for when load shedding occurs. Even those that do may have periods when they switch over, during which they do not have a supply of electricity. This may mean that their employees may not have access to emails when servers are down, and phone lines may not work for inbound and outbound calls. Many supermarkets use backup generators to keep certain lights on, as well as continue to run fridges, so you should still be able to do shopping at certain stores when the power in the area is out. The only sites where load shedding does not occur are buildings deemed essential to the operations of the city as a whole (such as Parliamentary buildings, waste processing plants, and hospitals), and certain buildings in close proximity to those. All other businesses have to react to the outages in much the same way as South African residents do at home.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email marketing@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: Frédéric Paulussen – Fredography [1], [2].

Andrew Stegmann
,

15 Destinations South Africans Can Visit Visa-Free in 2019

Residence and citizenship planning company, Henley & Partners, recently published its Passport Index for 2019. With its citizens enjoying visa-free access to 101 countries in total, South Africa is the third highest African country on the index.

The number of counties is down from 102 in 2018, with South Africans now requiring a visa to enter Turkey – although this can be done through a simple online process designed to issue your visa within 48 hours.

Below are 11 countries South Africans can travel to visa-free right now.

1: Panama (Visa-free for 180 days)

Panama is a country on the isthmus linking Central and South America. The Panama Canal, a famous feat of human engineering, cuts through its center, linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans to create an essential shipping route. In the capital, Panama City, modern skyscrapers, casinos and nightclubs contrast with colonial buildings in the Casco Viejo district and the rainforest of Natural Metropolitan Park.

2: Peru (Visa-free for 180 days)

Peru is a country in South America that’s home to a section of Amazon rainforest and Machu Picchu, an ancient Incan city high in the Andes mountains. The region around Machu Picchu, including the Sacred Valley, Inca Trail and colonial city of Cusco, is rich in archaeological sites. On Peru’s arid Pacific coast is Lima, the capital, with a preserved colonial center and important collections of pre-Columbian art.

3: Philippines (Visa-free for 30 days)

The Philippines is a Southeast Asian country in the Western Pacific, comprising more than 7,000 islands. Its capital, Manila, is famous for its waterfront promenade and centuries-old Chinatown, Binondo. Intramuros, a walled city in colonial times, is the heart of Old Manila. It’s home to the baroque 17th-century San Agustin Church as well as Fort Santiago, a storied citadel and military prison.

4: South Korea (Visa-free for 30 days)

South Korea, an East Asian nation on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula, shares one of the world’s most heavily militarized borders with North Korea. It’s equally known for its green, hilly countryside dotted with cherry trees and centuries-old Buddhist temples, plus its coastal fishing villages, sub-tropical islands and high-tech cities such as Seoul, the capital.

5: Thailand (Visa-free for 30 days)

Thailand is a Southeast Asian country. It’s known for tropical beaches, opulent royal palaces, ancient ruins and ornate temples displaying figures of Buddha. In Bangkok, the capital, an ultramodern cityscape rises next to quiet canalside communities and the iconic temples of Wat Arun, Wat Pho and the Emerald Buddha Temple (Wat Phra Kaew). Nearby beach resorts include bustling Pattaya and fashionable Hua Hin.

6: Macau (Visa-free for 30 days)

Macau is an autonomous region on the south coast of China, across the Pearl River Delta from Hong Kong. A Portuguese territory until 1999, it reflects a mix of cultural influences. Its giant casinos and malls on the Cotai Strip, which joins the islands of Taipa and Coloane, have earned it the nickname, “Las Vegas of Asia.” One of its more striking landmarks is the tall Macau Tower, with sweeping city views.

7: Hong Kong (Visa free for 30 days)

Hong Kong is an autonomous territory, and former British colony, in southeastern China. Its vibrant, densely populated urban centre is a major port and global financial hub with a skyscraper-studded skyline. Central (the business district) features architectural landmarks like I.M. Pei’s Bank of China Tower. Hong Kong is also a major shopping destination, famed for bespoke tailors and Temple Street Night Market.

8: Fiji (Visa-free for 120 days)

Fiji, a country in the South Pacific, is an archipelago of more than 300 islands. It’s famed for rugged landscapes, palm-lined beaches and coral reefs with clear lagoons. Its major islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, contain most of the population. Viti Levu is home to the capital, Suva, a port city with British colonial architecture. The Fiji Museum, in the Victorian-era Thurston Gardens, has ethnographic exhibits.

9: Chile (Visa-free for 90 days)

Chile is a long, narrow country stretching along South America’s western edge, with more than 6,000km of Pacific Ocean coastline. Santiago, its capital, sits in a valley surrounded by the Andes and Chilean Coast Range mountains. The city’s palm-lined Plaza de Armas contains the neoclassical cathedral and the National History Museum. The massive Parque Metropolitano offers swimming pools, a botanical garden and zoo.

10: Belize (Visa-free)

 

Belize is a nation on the eastern coast of Central America, with Caribbean Sea shorelines to the east and dense jungle to the west. Offshore, the massive Belize Barrier Reef, dotted with hundreds of low-lying islands called cayes, hosts rich marine life. Belize’s jungle areas are home to Mayan ruins like Caracol, renowned for its towering pyramid; lagoon-side Lamanai; and Altun Ha, just outside Belize City.

11: Bahamas (Visa-free for 90 days)

The Bahamas is a coral-based archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. Its 700-plus islands and cays range from uninhabited to packed with resorts. The northernmost, Grand Bahama, and Paradise Island, home to many large-scale hotels, are among the best known. Scuba diving and snorkeling sites include the massive Andros Barrier Reef, Thunderball Grotto (used in James Bond films) and the black-coral gardens off Bimini.

12: Indonesia (Visa-free for 30 days)

Indonesia, a Southeast Asian nation made up of thousands of volcanic islands, is home to hundreds of ethnic groups speaking many different languages. It’s known for beaches, volcanoes, Komodo dragons and jungles sheltering elephants, orangutans and tigers. On the island of Java lies Indonesia’s vibrant, sprawling capital, Jakarta, and the city of Yogyakarta, known for gamelan music and traditional puppetry.

13: Ireland (Visa-free for 90 days)

The Republic of Ireland occupies most of the island of Ireland, off the coast of England and Wales. Its capital, Dublin, is the birthplace of writers like Oscar Wilde, and home of Guinness beer. The 9th-century Book of Kells and other illustrated manuscripts are on show in Dublin’s Trinity College Library. Dubbed the “Emerald Isle” for its lush landscape, the country is dotted with castles like medieval Cahir Castle.

14: Singapore (Visa-free for 30 days)

Singapore, an island city-state off southern Malaysia, is a global financial center with a tropical climate and multicultural population. Popular attractions include Gardens by the Bay, Universal Studios Singapore, Chinatown, the Singapore Zoo, the Merlion statue, Clarke Quay, and the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

15: Argentina (Visa-free for 90 days)

Argentina is a massive South American nation with terrain encompassing Andes mountains, glacial lakes and Pampas grassland, the traditional grazing ground of its famed beef cattle. The country is famous for tango dance and music. Its big, cosmopolitan capital, Buenos Aires, is centered on the Plaza de Mayo, lined with stately 19th-century buildings including Casa Rosada, the iconic, balconied presidential palace.

 

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email marketing@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: Octavio Fossatti [1], [2], Cahal Pech Village Resort [3], Florian Wehde [4], Dennis Rochel [5], Fancycrave [6], Leighton Smith [7], Sander Crombach [8].

Andrew Stegmann

ACI Announces Top 5 Busiest Airports in Africa

Africa’s busiest airports have been measured by the total number of passenger flights defined as passengers enplaned plus passengers deplaned plus direct-transit passengers as per the data obtained from the Airports Council International (ACI).

A lot of people traveling to and out of Africa book flights every day with little interest in finding out how big a certain airport is. Lucky for you, here is a list of the top 5 busiest airports in Africa with in-depth information about their capacities:

1: Johannesburg International Airport, South Africa
Johannesburg International (JNB) is the largest airport in South Africa. The airport is so busy that it handles around 281 passenger flights on average per day. You can fly to 84 destinations with 42 airlines in scheduled passenger traffic.

The route with the longest flight time from Johannesburg is to Atlanta and takes about 16hours 50minutes with a Boeing 777.

The route with the most departures is the route to Cape Town with an average of 321 flights from Johannesburg International every week which is 16 percent of all weekly departures. The top international destinations from here are Gaborone and Harare.

South African Airways is the largest airline at the airport by counting the number of departures. The airline has around 868 scheduled take-offs every week, that’s about 4 times as many as the second biggest airline in the airport, British Airways.

2: Cairo International Airport, Egypt
Cairo International (CIA) is the largest airport in Egypt. The airport handles around 175 passenger flights per day. You can fly to 84 destinations with 40 airlines in scheduled passenger traffic.

The route with the longest flight time from Cairo is to Toronto, Canada and takes about 12h 10min with a Boeing 777-300.

The most frequently departed route is the route to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia with an average of 128 flights from Cairo International every week which is 10 percent of all weekly departures.

EgyptAir is the largest airline here by counting the number of departures. With around 690 scheduled take-offs every week, that’s about 6 times as the second largest airlines in the airport, Saudia Airlines.

Nile Air A320 in Special ‘Egypt Tourism’ Livery (2016).

3: Bole International Airport, Ethiopia
Bole International (ADD) is the largest airport in Ethiopia and is based in Addis Ababa. The airport has the capacity to accommodate approximately 137 passenger flights per day. You can fly to 106 destinations with 17 airlines in scheduled passenger traffic.

The route with the longest flight time from Addis Ababa is to Toronto and takes about 14hours 50minutes with a Boeing 777-200LR.

The route with the most departures is the route to Makale with an average of 59 flights from Bole International every week which is 6 percent of all weekly departures. The top international destinations from here are Nairobi and Dubai.

Ethiopian Airlines is the largest airline here by counting the number of departures. With around 934 scheduled take-offs every week, that’s about 68 times as many as the second largest airline in the airport, Kenya Airways.

4: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Kenya
Jomo Kenyatta International (NBO) is the largest airport in Kenya and is based in Nairobi. The airport currently handles around 126 passenger flights daily. You can fly to 63 destinations with 32 airlines in scheduled passenger traffic.

The route with the longest flight time from Nairobi is to New York and takes about 15hours with a Boeing 787-8.

The route with the most departures is the route to Mombasa with an average of 126 flights from Jomo Kenyatta International every week which is 14 percent of all weekly departures. The top international destinations from here are Entebbe and Dar Es Salaam.

Kenya Airways is the largest airline here by counting the number of departures. With around 462 scheduled take-offs every week, that’s about 3 times as many as the second biggest airline in the country, Jambojet Limited.

5: Cape Town International Airport, South Africa
Cape Town International (CPT) is the second largest airport in South Africa. The airport handles around 117 passenger flights on a daily. You can fly to 38 destinations with 27 airlines in scheduled passenger traffic.

The route with the longest flight time from Cape Town is to Hong Kong and takes about 13hours 50minutes with the Airbus A350-900.

The route with the most departures is the route to Johannesburg with an average of 321 flights from Cape Town International every week which is 39 percent of all weekly departures. The top international destinations from here are Windhoek and Dubai.

South African Airways is the largest airline here by counting the number of departures with around 200 scheduled take-offs every week.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email marketing@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], Dahab777 [2].